The Sad Picture Of A Child At A Shut-Down Zoo Is Not Actually A Sad Picture

1. This picture made everybody sad:

But according to an article in the Washington Post, by someone who actually knows the boy in the picture, the image isn’t actually of a forlorn child being denied a zoo visit.

3. According to Anne Midgette, the boy was just out for a walk with his father, and was happy. There’s no suggestion they even wanted to go to the zoo:

Our children, fortunately, are oblivious: to the shutdown, to the comments, to the fact that the zoo is closed, to anything but the pleasure of climbing on a gate while taking a walk with your father in your favorite monkey hat. The picture doesn’t show the little boy’s face, but I promise you, he’s laughing.